Launch News SpaceX Falcon 9 F3 COTS2+ Updates

[PhantomCruiser]

:woohoo:
Made it!

 

[Capt_hensley]

Echo above, outstanding!

 

[Ripley]

All hail NASA, SpaceX and The Probe!!
Well done Elon!

 

[Codz]

I believe Elon had a few people helping him...:lol:

 

[N_Molson]

I missed Apollo, but, I got this one today at least!

Well, I don't want to cut the joy, but Progress did that 35 years ago, and the ATV and HTV also (and BTW the Space Shuttle & Soyuz)... That's called "Orbital Rendez-Vous" (and I'm counting only EORs with a space station). Comparing it to the Apollo missions is a little exagerated IMHO.

So yes, there is now another spacecraft able to rendez-vous the ISS. Docking has still to be performed for the Dragon to be 100% operational.

 

[orb]

Dragon was captured at 13:56 UTC. Now it's being tamed... Erm, will be berthed.

And a couple of shots from the capture:

The arm is closing:

Closing even more:

And captured! :woohoo::

 

[C3PO]

Well, I don't want to cut the joy, but Progress did that 35 years ago, and the ATV and HTV also... Comparing it to the Apollo missions is a little exagerated IMHO.

If you factor in the resources, this one is up there with the best. Space finally got it's Model-T. :thumbup:

 

[Codz]

I got a few decent screencaps.

 

[Urwumpe]

Don't forget as well: This is the first time since almost a year, that a US spacecraft docked to the ISS.

 

[Capt_hensley]

Wod Falk complete, ready for motion to mate.

 

[RisingFury]

Congrats SpaceX!

 

[N_Molson]

Don't forget as well: This is the first time since almost a year, that a US spacecraft docked to the ISS.

That's the most important point in my eyes. USA needed to do something solid about manned spaceflight. I guess it explains some overreactions.

 

[Capt_hensley]

Shift Change and continued CBM inspections

---------- Post added at 02:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:20 PM ----------

Confirm clear CBM mating interface, ground confirmed

 

[ADSWNJ]

This next move is the bitch though. URMS capture is OK, but pulling the vessel back onto the docking ring is always frustrating for me. Hard to line up, hard to get good controls. Do you move the elbow or the wrist ... is it rotated right, etc!!! I usually get it close, then purge it and nudge the station with the XR-5 thusters to make the docking!!!

 

[Jarvitä]

This next move is the bitch though. URMS capture is OK, but pulling the vessel back onto the docking ring is always frustrating for me. Hard to line up, hard to get good controls. Do you move the elbow or the wrist ... is it rotated right, etc!!! I usually get it close, then purge it and nudge the station with the XR-5 thusters to make the docking!!!

The SSRMS has full inverse kinematics based controls. You really think they'd bother with individual joint controls? :rofl:

 

[Urwumpe]

The SSRMS has full inverse kinematics based controls. You really think they'd bother with individual joint controls? :rofl:

The SSRMS also has many automatic programs to do some standard motions. I think only the actual berthing will be done by manual IK control.

 

[John_L]

Well, I don't want to cut the joy, but Progress did that 35 years ago, and the ATV and HTV also (and BTW the Space Shuttle & Soyuz)... That's called "Orbital Rendez-Vous" (and I'm counting only EORs with a space station). Comparing it to the Apollo missions is a little exagerated IMHO.

So yes, there is now another spacecraft able to rendez-vous the ISS. Docking has still to be performed for the Dragon to be 100% operational.

I think the "big to do" about all this is that it was done by a private company, not a government. Not so much of a berthing, but a first time berthing of a privately owned vehicle.

 

[Donamy]

I think he was joking.

 

[Capt_hensley]

A couple SCR caps, Standing by for resume movement.

 

[orb]

Capture of the Dragon